Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

The date on this recipe from Epicurious is 1995, which is about how long I have been making it.  I have made it countless times...from engagement parties to casual dinners at home to dinner parties.  It is a no fail recipe and is perfect for parties because everything can be prepped in advance.  The Monterrey Jack cheese adds a real richness beyond the cream and parmesan that you usually expect in an alfredo.  Feel free to add any fresh vegetables that you enjoy in an alfredo pasta, but I prefer the broccoli and red bell pepper as the original recipe calls for.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into ½ inch-wide strips
4 cups broccoli florets, from one large head
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups cream
1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound penne, freshly cooked

Grease a 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray, set aside. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the chicken, broccoli and bell pepper; sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, 1 cup of the Paremsan, Monterrey Jack, salt and red pepper. Simmer until the sauce is thickened slightly, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the penne pasta, toss well to coat. Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining ½ cup of Parmesan. Broil for 3 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown. Serve.

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Chocolate Mousse

Miss F has a chocolate mousse obsession. Every since she first tasted it in Paris, she has been hooked. And I agree! I also had it for the first time in Paris as a kid and I adored it. It came out in a giant communal bowl and you served yourself from it. Not the most sanitary way to enjoy chocolate mousse at a restaurant, but it was delicious nonetheless.   This is a great dessert to serve at a dinner party because everything is done in advance.  Last dinner party I served this in cute little glasses that I got at the dollar store.  You can top with whipped cream if you are feeling indulgent and whatever fresh berries you have on hand work great.

Chocolate Mousse

4 cups chilled heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Heat 1 ½ cups cream in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until hot over medium-high heat. Whisk together the yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl until combined well, then add the hot cream in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it registers 160 degrees on the thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in a glass bowl in a microwave at 50 percent power 3 to 5 minutes), stirring frequently. Whisk custard into chocolate until smooth, then cool.

Beat remaining 2 ½ cups cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk one fourth of cream into chocolate custard to lighten, then fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly.
Spoon mousse into 16 (6-ounce) stemmed glasses or ramekins and chill, covered, at least 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.

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Killen’s Creamed Corn

I have enjoyed the creamed corn at both Killen's Steakhouse and at Killen's Barbecue.  When I saw that the recipe had been published in the Houston Chronicle, I knew I had to try it.  The at home version totally met my expectations.  The  corn cob infused half and half really makes a big taste difference compared to my usual creamed corn recipe.  I can't wait to try this recipe in the summer with sweet corn, I doubt it will need any sugar at all!  And if you are ever in Houston, head down to Pearland to try this spectacular creamed corn yourself!

Killen’s Creamed Corn

4 ears of corn
1 ¼ cup half and half
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons sugar (can use more or less, depending on corn sweetness)
¹/8 teaspoon white pepper
¹/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Parmigiano-Regginao cheese, grated

Instructions: Shuck and cut corn off ears. Bring the half and half to a simmer and add corn cobs to infuse for about 30 minutes. In a separate pan melt butter and add corn niblets, sauté corn over low heat for about 20 minutes. Remove cobs from milk/cream mixture and scrape off all milk. Discard cobs. Add ¼ of the sautéed corn to milk/cream mixture and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the corn and simmer till thickened usually about another 30 minutes. Season to taste and put in casserole dish. Finish in a 500-degree or as high as your broiler will go, with a little cheese sprinkled on top. Broil until cheese just turns brown. Serve immediately.

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Cheesy Chicken Corn Chowder

When I saw this recipe on Tide and Thyme, I knew I wanted to make it. Even though I have a ton of chicken chowder recipes, this one looked very special.  Unfortunately, the weather in Houston hasn't been very chowder friendly.  We had basically a three day winter and that has been it.  This is a great weeknight meal, it comes together quickly.  Don't make my mistake though, I served it without stirring in the cream.  It was sitting on the counter, pre-measured and all, and it just slipped my mind.  After a taste, I instantly realized my mistake, luckily, it was easily correctable.  I try to get everything organized for busy weeknights, but even when I try my hardest, there can often be mistakes.

Cheesy Chicken Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
½ onion, peeled and diced
1/3 cup flour
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 white potatoes, peeled and diced
1 (12 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup cream
2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onions, sauté for 2 minutes to soften. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly, until a light roux is formed. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a boil, add the corn and chicken. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks, return the chicken to the pot. Stir in the cream and cheese, simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve.

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Lobster Linguine

I bought crablegs at a Kroger on my way home from work instead of my usual two Krogers I alternate between. I noticed that they had whole steamed lobsters in the seafood case and since Miss F adores lobster so much, I knew I wanted to make a pasta with it next time C was out of town.   I decided to hit the grocer after school, so the lobster would be fresh and so that Miss F could help select which lobster she wanted.   Our regular Kroger only had the tails and I wasn't interested in smelling up the house steaming lobster.  So we went to another Kroger, no lobster, and then to the Kroger where I had initially seen the whole lobsters, no luck.  I tried to convince her to have shrimp pasta instead, but once I had tempted her with lobster, there was no going back.  I ended up steaming the lobster tails at home, then boiling a pot of water with 1/4 cup of white vinegar to kill the smell.  It was worth it.  Recipe inspired from Simple Seasonal.

Lobster Linguine

12 ounces linguine
1 large steamed lobster or 3 small steamed tails
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup white wine
¼ clam juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
¾ cup half and half

Prepare the pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside. Break down the lobster and chop the meat into bite sized pieces, set aside. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, whisking for 1 minute until fully incorporated. Add the wine while still whisking, cook for 1 minute more. Add the clam juice and tomato paste while still whisking and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the drained pasta, lobster and half and half into the sauce; salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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Creamy Chicken Asparagus Pasta

I love asparagus, especially in the spring and summer when I can get a big bunch for under a dollar.  This recipe was inspired by Cooking Classy, but very little remained the same once I was through.   If you are going to the trouble of frying bacon, you might as well fry the chicken and the asparagus in the leftover bacon grease.  Go big or go home, right?  I added some fresh basil at the end for my dish, Miss F and C were quite happy without.  Heck, they would have been happy without the dried basil, oregano and thyme, but the herbs really add a lovely flavor.

Creamy Chicken Asparagus Pasta

12 ounces penne pasta
5 slices bacon, cut into lardons
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sauce
1 pound asparagus, trimmed of ends, remaining diced into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¾ cup milk
¼ cup cream
1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

Prepare the pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the bacon to a plate and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the pan. Stir together the basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the herb mixture all over the chicken. Add the chicken and asparagus to the pan and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Remove the chicken and asparagus to the plate with the bacon, set aside.

Add the butter to the pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add the garlic and whisk for 30 seconds more. Whisk in the milk and cream, bring to a boil, stirring constantly to keep smooth. Add the parmesan cheese, penne pasta, bacon, chicken and asparagus. Toss well to combine and serve with additional parmesan on top.

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Creamy Chicken and Noodles

I am loving the one pot trend for cooking pasta and sauce all together, how was this not discovered sooner? So I was happy to try it in a pasta dish that wasn't so pasta-esque. I adore the frozen egg noodles, they cook up just as well as homemade and are a heck of a lot easier to prepare.  A complete meal was ready in under thirty minutes.  Feel free to use frozen or fresh carrots, it really doesn't matter.  This recipe was inspired by Baked at Midnite.

Creamy Chicken and Noodles

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 cups chicken broth
1 bag frozen egg noodles
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup peas
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup cream

Heat the oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the chicken and sauté until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the noodles, carrots and peas; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk together the water and flour, stir into the skillet slowly, then stir in the cream. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes more. Salt and pepper to taste, serve.

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Cajun Chicken Pasta

I may have a bit of a problem with making Cajun chicken pastas. It is reminiscent to my past Spaghetti Carbonara obsession.  As soon as I saw this recipe on All Recipes, I knew I had to make it.  I adore mushrooms, but I am the only one in the family who does.  So while we ate dinner, both C and Miss F piled my plate with their excess mushrooms.  We used fresh vegetables from Froberg Farm after a big afternoon of strawberry picking.  Miss F was a huge help in making  this dish, she is becoming much more confident working with things on the stove top, it's all quite exciting.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

16 ounces Penne pasta
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1” cubes
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare the pasta per package directions, drain and set aside. Toss the chicken with the Cajun seasoning. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and mushrooms, cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the cream, basil, salt, garlic and pepper, bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the parmesan cheese and drained pasta, serve.

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Meyer Lemon Shrimp Pasta

Miss F is obsessed with shrimp, she can nearly devour an entire pound on her own. Whenever C isn't home for dinner, she usually requests that I make shrimp. I had originally planned to bake shrimp with lemon and have green beans on the side, but when I picked her up from dance class, she requested pasta. Luckily I had a package of spaghetti on hand, so Meyer Lemon Shrimp Pasta was born. This meal comes together incredibly quickly, I picked Miss F up at 5 pm from dance class and by 5:30 pm we were seated at the table having dinner. This was entirely possible because of Fasta Pasta and such an easy sauce.

Meyer Lemon Shrimp Pasta

12 ounces thin spaghetti
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ pound green beans, chopped
¾ cup cream
¼ cup chicken broth
Juice from ½ a Meyer lemon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Prepare the spaghetti per package instructions, drain and set aside.

While the spaghetti is cooking, heat the butter over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add the shrimp and green beans, sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the shrimp half way through the cooking time and stirring the green beans. In a two cup measure, stir together the cream, broth, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the shrimp and toss well to coat completely. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low, simmering for 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the spaghetti and toss with the sauce, shrimp and green beans. Serve.

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Pork Loin with Wine and Herb Gravy

I always buy a pork loin when it goes on super sale and break it down into two or three pieces to freeze for later.  This pork cooks up beautifully and couldn't be easier.  I served Miss F's without the gravy, but I may have eaten her portion.  It was delicious, especially spooned over mashed potatoes.  Be sure to allow the pork to rest while you prepare the gravy, I just throw a piece of aluminum foil over top and get to whisking.  This recipe was heavily adapted from Seasons & Suppers.

Pork Loin with Wine and Herb Gravy

¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and slice in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
¼ cup fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
2 pound pork loin
1 ½ cups dry white wine, divided
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons corn starch
¼ cup water
½ cup heavy cream

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sauté the garlic, rosemary and sage for about one minute. Add the pork to the pan and sauté it 5 minutes per side, then remove it to a plate. Add 1 ¼ cups of the wine to the pan to deglaze it, use a spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and return the pork to the pan. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes, flipping the pork every 20 minutes. Add ¼ cup of water if the pan gets too dry. When the pork has reached 150 degrees, remove to a plate, cover with foil and let rest while the gravy is prepared. Use the remaining ¼ cup wine to deglaze the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken broth and stir well. Whisk together the corn starch and water, stir into the pot whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the cream, salt and pepper to taste. Slice the pork and serve with the gravy over top.

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Poblano Chicken Chowder

I have had this recipe pinned forever. I love poblano peppers, they add a nice spice without being too overpowering.  Miss F was thrilled that there was no potatoes in this chowder recipe, she despises potatoes, especially in soup.  This soup was full of flavor, I didn't even need to add any hot sauce to my bowl.  Miss F still did, she loves Tabasco.  We haven't had much of a winter here in Houston this year, so I have been enjoying soup in 80 degree weather.  At least I got to spend last weekend in Aspen and get some exposure to real winter.

Poblano Chicken Chowder

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ -inch dice
3 large carrots, cut into ½ -inch dice
2 cups frozen corn kernels
½ onion, cut into ½ -inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Poblano pepper, seeded and cut into ½ -inch dice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cumin, or more to taste
¼ teaspoon dried thyme, or more to taste
6 cups chicken broth
¼ cup butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
½ cup heavy cream

Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the chicken, carrots, corn, onion, garlic, poblano, salt, pepper, cumin and thyme. Saute for 8 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Add the chicken broth and cook for 12 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 4 minutes. Ladle one cup of the broth from the stockpot into the flour, whisk until smooth. Pour the skillet mixture into the stockpot and stir well to combine. Cook for 5 minutes more, stir in the hot sauce and cream. Serve.

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Creamy White Chicken Chili

I despise chili, unfortunately, the rest of my family adores it. White chicken chili is about the closest thing I will eat to actual chili.  Chili is one of the foods that I hated as a kid and still hate today.  Most foods that I didn't enjoy as a kid, I grew to like as my tastes matured.  Chili does not fit that bill.  Miss F was so happy to have chili for dinner, though she would prefer chili from a can (double gross) for dinner any day.  Thanks to Taste of Home Cooking for the fantastic and family pleasing recipe.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

1 tablespoon oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
2 cans (15 ½ ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 ½ ounces) chicken broth
1 can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Grated cheddar cheese, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and onion, sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Add the beans, broth, chiles, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream and heavy cream, serve topped with cheddar cheese.

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Poblano Shrimp Pasta

Whenever C goes out of town, Miss F and I indulge in seafood of some variety. Her favorite is shrimp, by far. She can eat more fried shrimp than anyone I know, she is a machine. Luckily, she also loves shrimp prepared in other ways. She and I really enjoyed this pasta, which was loosely based on a Rachael Ray recipe. It comes together incredibly quickly, dinner is truly ready in the time it takes to cook the thin spaghetti, which isn't long at all.

Poblano Shrimp Pasta

1 pound pasta, I used thin spaghetti
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound medium shrimp, deveined, shelled and tails removed
1 small poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup cream

Prepare the pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the shrimp, poblano, and onion. Saute for 5 to 8 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute more. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and cream, bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 3 minutes more, add the drained pasta and toss well to coat, salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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Roasted Parmesan Butternut Squash

Anyone else out there already thinking of Thanksgiving? If everything works out, we will be in our new home for turkey day this year. And I am so excited because the new house has DOUBLE OVENS. No more crazy rotation schedule while trying to roast a turkey, bake rolls and bake side dishes. There will be room for everything and everything will be cooked at its proper temperature, not some compromised temperature I had to settle for to make everything work. This butternut squash dish from Gourmet is going on my Thanksgiving Day menu. It is incredibly easy to prepare and it tastes like you slaved over it.  The squash can be chopped a day in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to bake.

Roasted Parmesan Butternut Squash

3 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup heavy cream
3 sage leaves
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a 2 quart shallow baking dish, toss the squash with the cream, sage, ½ cup of the Parmesan, salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover, top with the remaining Parmesan and bake for 20 minutes more, uncovered. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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Corn Chowder

I am somewhat obsessed with corn chowder. It has about all my favorite things in it: corn, potatoes, bell peppers and bacon. I saw a recipe that started out by making a corn infused stock on Spoon Fork Bacon.  I used the infused stock from the recipe, but not much else.  I simplified things a bit so that Miss F could help me make it.  She is an excellent corn shucker, except that it always ends up in corn silks in every nook and cranny of the kitchen.  I loved this soup.   This may be my new go to corn chowder, I am not sure I will make it again without making a corn stock.  It was so incredibly simple, but added so much sweet corn flavor to the soup.

Corn Chowder

3 ears corn, kernels removed from cob
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
4 slices bacon, diced
½ medium yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 red potatoes, diced
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup heavy cream

Place ½ of the corn plus the cobs in a pot with the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove the cobs from the pot and discard. Puree the corn and stock, set aside.

In a large pot, sauté the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the grease from the pan. Add the onion, garlic, poblano, bell pepper, potatoes and remaining corn to the pan. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the flour and stir, sautéing for 3 minutes more. Add the stock to the pan, stirring constantly and simmer for 5 minute to thicken. Stir in the oregano, salt and cream. Simmer for 5 minutes more , serve.

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One Pot Creamy Sausage Pasta

I am not a huge ground meat fan. Everyone else in my family is, so when I saw this recipe on Smells Like Home, I knew it would be a hit. I pawned off most of my meat to Miss F, who was happy to eat it.  C complained that it was too "saucy" but Miss F and I enjoyed it very much.  The one pot pasta trick makes for such an easy clean up.  Why haven't I been making pasta like this all along?  It really makes sense.   I used a jar of Kroger brand marinara, which worked just fine and only cost $1.

One Pot Creamy Sausage Pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 pound ground Italian sausage
¼ cup dry white wine
24 ounce jar marinara sauce
4 cups water, divided
16 ounces penne pasta
½ cup cream
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and sausage to the pan. Break up the sausage as it sautés. Cook for 5 minutes until the sausage is browned. Add the wine to the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the sauce and 3 cups of the water into the skillet, bring to a simmer and stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, adding more water if necessary. Stir in the cream and cheese, cook for 2 minutes more. Salt and pepper to taste and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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Sweet Corn and Pea Ravioli with Creamy Basil Sauce

It was time to break out my birthday gift to make another batch of ravioli.  Which once again, meant I needed my hand sous chef, Miss F, to assist.  She and C were at the zoo that afternoon and had called me saying they were too hot to walk home.  I drove over to pick them up and immediately put my little chef to work.  She was a tremendous help.  I used the recipe for the pasta from our cooking class at the Four Seasons, it was much preferable to the recipe that came with the pasta roller.  I created the filling and the sauce on my own, it is exactly how I prefer my ravioli.  It was incredibly delicious and I went back for seconds.  C has requested butternut squash ravioli and Miss F has requested chocolate strawberry ravioli next...

Sweet Corn and Pea Ravioli with Creamy Basil Sauce

1 ¾ cups flour
1 cup semolina flour
6 egg yolks
3 tablespoons wine
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter
2 cobs of corn, kernels removed from cob
¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 teaspoon dried parsley
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup cream
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup basil, cut into chiffonade
¼ teaspoon pepper

Stir together the flour, semolina, egg yols, wine, water, oil and salt. If the dough doesn't come together, add a little more water, a teaspoon at a time. Form into a ball. Let rest for two hours. Roll the pasta per your pasta rollers instructions. Cut into 2 ½” squares.

In a largeskillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the corn, peas and herbs. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the parmesan cheese.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of the corn and pea mixture onto half of the pasta squares. Brush the edges of each with water and lay a second square overtop, pressing to seal. Set aside.

In the same skillet, add the cream to any leftover corn and peas. Bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat, reduce heat to low. Stir in the Parmesan, basil and pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the raviolis for two minutes, drain and toss with the creamy basil sauce.

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Brussels Sprout Carbonara

I wonder if there isn't anything I wouldn't eat in Carbonara. I can't think of a single green vegetable that wouldn't be made better tossed in egg yolks, cream and Parmesan.  I combined a couple of my go to recipes: Brussels Sprouts in Bacon and Easiest Ever Carbonara into a complete meal.  Miss F firmly rejected the Brussels sprouts, she only ate one half, which was quite frustrating.   How can anything cooked in bacon grease not be good?

Brussels Sprout Carbonara

4 egg yolks
2/3 cup cream
½ cup grated parmesan
½ teaspoon salt
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 package frozen Brussels sprouts, thawed and halved
1 pound angel hair or thin spaghetti

Whisk the eggs, cream, Parmesan, and salt together in a two cup measure. Fry the bacon until crisp, drain all but one tablespoon of the grease and set aside the bacon. Fry the halved Brussels sprouts in the bacon grease for 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta per package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the Brussels sprouts, reduce the heat to low. Pour the cream mixture overtop and toss well to coat. Top with the reserved bacon and serve.

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Chicken Piccata with Lemon Noodles

Miss F has been obsessed with cooking shows lately. Her favorite by far is Pioneer Woman. We saw this recipe on her show and she wanted to make it for dinner. Miss F loves anything with lemons, after juicing the lemon for this dish she ate the remnants. She was a huge fan of the pasta. I made some changes from the original recipe because I didn't see the need to sauce the noodles twice. I really liked the addition of cream to the piccata sauce, but doesn't cream always make everything better?  Miss F refused to try the capers, even though I am sure she would love them because of her affinity for tart things.  Her loss, all the more capers for me.

Chicken Piccata with Lemon Noodles

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup heavy cream, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon drained capers
16 ounces linguine

Dredge the chicken breasts in flour, salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes each side. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 second. Add the broth, wine and lemon juice, whisk and scrape the bottom of the skillet, reduce by half. Salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the cream and capers. Prepare the pasta per package instruction. Toss the drained noodles with the sauce, serve with chicken on top.

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Gnocchi with Bacon and Peas

I tried to trick Miss F and convince her that we were having "puffy pasta" instead of gnocchi for dinner. She didn't buy it for one minute, she instantly knew the gnocchi were potato based and firmly rejected the meal. I really don't understand her potato aversion and it is quite frustrating. C and I loved this dish, it is a great use for otherwise useless leftover mashed potatoes. I have yet to make gnocchi without them, it seems like a lot of effort. By using mashed potatoes, the gnocchi come together quite quickly. The gnocchi recipe is from Martha Stewart and the sauce is my own, just a simple bacon based alfredo with an addition of peas.  I wasn't particularly neat with my gnocchi rolling this go round, but no matter, they still tasted great.

Gnocchi with Peas and Bacon

2 cups mashed potatoes
1 egg
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt

6 ounces bacon, cut into lardons
1 cup peas
1 cup half and half
2/3 cup parmesan
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Stir together the mashed potatoes and egg. Stir in the flour and salt until well incorporated, turn out onto a floured board and knead for 30 seconds. Divide the dough into four, roll each into a ½“ thick log. Cut into 1” pieces, set aside. Boil a large pot of salted water.

In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the grease. Add the peas and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Stir in the parmesan, salt and pepper.

While the cream is simmering, add the gnocchi to the boiling water. When each gnocchi has floated to the top, transfer using a slotted spoon to the cream sauce. Serve, topped with the bacon.

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